The lower back, or lumbar area, is responsible for many functions including structural support, movement, and protection of certain body tissues, which is why it is extremely important to ensure the lower back has as much support as possible. In addition to tolerating the stress of a person's entire body, the back and the spine are also exposed to other abuses such as poor posture and holding the weight of the upper torso for long periods of time. While people tend to believe that being seated will relieve some of the stresses on the lower back, that is not true without the proper support and posturing.
Several supporting devices have been created in an attempt to solve this frequently occurring problem. One example of a back supporting device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,416,257, which shows a substantially horizontally extending support element placeable on a surface level with a sitting person's pelvis, from which two vertically extending elements with a horizontal attachment fittable to a person's underarms extend upward to provide support to a person in a sitting position.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,282, back supporting devices also come in the form of two rigid U-shaped side members that extend out from a frame that is connected, either temporarily or permanently, to the back of a seat back. This device, created specifically for use in conjunction with a seat with a back, attempts to relieve lower back pain by holding some of the person's weight with the U-shaped members that are placed under the seated person's underarms.
Alternatively, devices such as the one found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,518 have attempted to alleviate back pain by strengthening of the spine and back muscles. This device comprises a multilayered belt to be strapped around a person's stomach, from which two large spring loaded tube assemblies extend upwards on either side of the torso to sit just beneath the person's underarms. With the longitudinal adjustment of the tubes, the user can vary the degree of pressure and use the device to exercise and strengthen the muscles of the back and torso.
However, there is clearly a need for a less rigid, simple physical support device which displaces the weight of the upper torso and provides both spinal and lower back support that ensures the user is supported in a well aligned upright position, no matter the angle of the seat. There is also a need for a body support device that is more comfortable, which provides support at more than just the armpit.